Obedience Regulations - American Kennel Club

make sure they meet the requirements of the Obedience Regulations.
A deviation of up to one-half inch is considered a minor change and is
acceptable. if the jumps are made of a material other than wood, they
must meet all the requirements of the Obedience Regulations, including
weight and flat finish. Having checked the jumps, the judge will place
the jumps in the ring, giving special attention to lighting and ring enclosures,
and make an observation from a dog’s line of sight. For utility
classes, the jumps shall be midway in the ring, at right angles to the
longest sides of the ring and about 18 to 20 feet apart. if mats are placed
under the jumps, they should be at least 4 feet in width.
if there are ring or equipment deficiencies, the judge shall bring them
to the attention of the trial secretary or superintendent so that they may
be corrected in accordance with the provisions of chapter 1, section
34, of the Obedience Regulations. if the deficiencies cannot be corrected
quickly, the judge will note this fact on the inside front cover
of the judge’s book and proceed to judge the class, under the deficient
conditions. in extreme cases, where the deficiencies, in the opinion of
the judge, are of such major proportion as to seriously affect the dog’s
performance or safety, the judge will give each handler the option of
not competing. if the handler’s decision is not to compete, they will be
referred to the trial secretary or superintendent for a refund of the entry
fee. under no condition may a judge refuse to judge a class.
Stewards. the judge shall review with the stewards their duties
and the manner in which they are to be performed. stewards are to be
instructed that they are in the ring only to assist the judge. Any request
from an exhibitor for special consideration must be directed to the judge.
Catalog Order. the Obedience Regulations require that dogs be
judged in catalog order to the extent that is practical to do so without
holding up the judging in any ring. A judge need not mark the absentees
in the judge’s book until the end of the class. Judges are not required to
wait for dogs for either the individual or the group exercises.
Veterinarian. the only situations that would require the judge to
request the services of the veterinarian would be when a dog in the ring
requires immediate medical attention or when a judge needs the veterinarian’s
recommendation concerning the health of the dog in the ring.ES
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Obedience Judges’
Guidelines